Blagojevich’s wife will appear on show

Blagojevich’s wife will appear on show

NEW YORK — Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich wasn’t allowed to appear in a network television reality show in Costa Rica, but his wife will.

A federal judge barred the former governor from leaving the country to do the show pending his political-corruption trial in Chicago.

But the couple told NBC’s “Today” show Thursday that she will appear on the network’s upcoming season of “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here” in the Central American country.

Patti Blagojevich says her involvement will show that her profanity-laced comments in secret recordings by federal prosecutors don’t reflect who she really is.

‘Idol’ is ratings champ

NEW YORK — Nielsen ratings give “American Idol” a huge win as Kris Allen beat Adam Lambert to become the show’s singing champ.

Nielsen says nearly 29 million viewers tuned in for the finale Wednesday night. “American Idol” viewership was one-third larger than the total audience logged by Fox’s rival networks ABC, CBS, NBC and CW.

Theater reopens

COLUMBUS — Nearly 40 years after it closed, an Ohio jazz showplace is reborn.

In its heyday, the Lincoln Theatre in Columbus hosted legendary artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis Jr. and Etta James. The 1928 theater on the city’s east side reopened with a ceremony Thursday following a $13.5 million renovation.

The Lincoln is on the National Register of Historic Places and was called the Ogden Theatre and Ballroom when it first opened in an African-American neighborhood near downtown. The theater was showing movies by the time it shut down in the early 1970s.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Michael Constantine (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “Room 222”) is 82. Actor-director Richard Benjamin is 71. Actor Michael Sarrazin is 69. Actress Barbara Parkins (“Peyton Place,” “Valley of the Dolls”) is 67. Actress Ann Cusack (“Jeff Foxworthy Show,” “A League of Their Own”) is 48. Model Naomi Campbell is 39. Actress Anna Belknap (“CSI: NY”) is 37.